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Waldemar got the youngest campers out of their lower cabins around 1:30 AM when the first warnings came in. I am not sure how frequently that happens these days but it clearly was protocol for them. Those 'lower' cabins are much higher than the lowest Mystic cabins too. Waldemar is on the north fork so didn't get nearly as flooded as some others. The flooding didn't come close to any sleeping quarters there and barely brushed the lowest structure. La Junta's cabins (just down the south fork from Mystic) are just as low if not lower than Mystic. It was a true miracle nobody died at CLJ as their leadership was not aware of the situation at all until the 3 AM hour. The heroics of counselors there and how lucky that camp was has been really underplayed. I was in Kerrville/Ingram/Hunt recently and drove up and down 39 a few times. It truly looks like an ocean came through the south fork of the river. It is obvious how and why so many died and I am not just talking about the Mystic campers.

I have mixed feelings about all of this. It does not feel real. I have young relatives who were at Mystic through the flooding (all "ok" now) and I know some of the Eastlands too. I don't blame the families for suing. I don't blame the other families upset at the families for suing, at least not too much. I think the Eastlands are getting too much blame for what they didn't and couldn't do that night. Where the Eastlands messed up, IMO, is in the hours, days, and weeks after the flood with their very poor communication and over-reliance on their religious faith (by some of the family members) that they assumed everyone else had too or that it would excuse any of this.  The camp has gotten progressively religious over the last decade or two and seemed to be operating in lala-land. Mystic (and other government agencies) also messed up years ago by continuing to have cabins so close to the water. But again, they are not the only ones. Maybe Mystic can open Cypress again in the future but I don't think certain members if any of the family should be running it after this. The land where Guadalupe is should probably be a memorial and/or a park. 

 

Edited by used2b

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11 hours ago, used2b said:

Maybe Mystic can open Cypress again in the future but I don't think certain members if any of the family should be running it after this.

I'm sure I wrote as much up thread, but that's where I landed (or predicted once it all gets settled).  

Perhaps I'm just attracted to the clarity, but if I'm running a camp and 27 children die under my roof, regardless of the reason, I shouldn't be allowed to continue to operate.  

I also don't think the construction of dams along the Guadalupe, FEMA flood maps, once in a generation rainfall, or general Kerr County idiocy excuses that bottom line that the camp has to take responsibility.  

On an unrelated/related note, I noticed yesterday that Eastland and two counselors were mentioned in the obituary section of the Alcalde.

1 hour ago, LCHorn said:

I'm sure I wrote as much up thread, but that's where I landed (or predicted once it all gets settled).  

Perhaps I'm just attracted to the clarity, but if I'm running a camp and 27 children die under my roof, regardless of the reason, I shouldn't be allowed to continue to operate.  

I also don't think the construction of dams along the Guadalupe, FEMA flood maps, once in a generation rainfall, or general Kerr County idiocy excuses that bottom line that the camp has to take responsibility.  

I highly doubt the State of Texas is going to renew the camps license to operate this next year.  I'm not sure if Camp Mystic has a different license for Cypress and Guadalupe, but Id imagine the state eventually jumps in and suspends license for 2026. I'd be surprised if there is not several reasons to cite for doing so.

https://www.dshs.texas.gov/youth-camp-program/license-qualification-package-youth-camp-program

  • 4 weeks later...

any of those Kerr county commissioners eat a bullet yet?

14 minutes ago, freyguy said:

any of those Kerr county commissioners eat a bullet yet?

Folks like that are incapable of experiencing shame.

  • 2 weeks later...
On 12/5/2025 at 4:06 PM, chainsaw said:

worse than I expected, and I expected something pretty bad.

The only thing that would have saved these lives was evacuating ahead of time.  I've been on camping trips in low lying areas before where we feared heavy rain (McKinney Falls, Garner, etc.) and just packed up and left a day early.

People in the Mobile Home, RV parks, etc could have done that if warned.  The campers would have been harder but they had buildings on higher ground that would have been a start.

Edited by TexasEd

That would mean every owner involved would have had to have cared about something other than their bank accounts. Having a plan costs money, and they needed every little bit in their pockets. 

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